For the Buffalo Bills, life without Stefon Diggs has had its up and downs. The first three games of the seasons the Bills offense was rolling like a well-oiled machine. It was an offense where everyone feasts as Josh Allen spread the ball around. It was working when the team was averaging over 30 points per game and started out of the gates 3-0. It was Diggs who? Then the next two games the Bills struggled on offense losing two conference games to teams they most likely will meet in the playoffs. The Ravens and Diggs’ new team, the Texans. Suddenly Diggs was being missed as the Bills had no top receiver to take double coverage. They did not have a guy that would step up in crucial situations to keep the chains moving. The Bills only averaged 15 points in the next two losses. On Monday the Bills found a way to get back in the win column beating the Jets. Bills only scored 23 points which was better than what they did in two straight losses. This offense was missing Diggs, but not Diggs as a person and his mentality of me, me, me, and me. The Bills at 4-2 are in first place in the east and want to stay there. They struck a deal with the Cleveland Browns adding a true number 1 receiver to this team by landing veteran wide out, Amari Cooper.

Amari Cooper is 30 years old and was a former 1st round pick of the Oakland Raiders back in 2015, 4th overall in the NFL draft. Since the Browns are handcuffed by Deshaun Watson’s contract and starting 1-5 out of the gates, the front office feels it’s time to sell off a few pieces in Cleveland. The Bills will land Cooper and receive a 2025 6th round draft pick from the Browns. The Browns will get the Bills 3rd round pick in 2025 and their 7th round pick in 2026. Cooper’s salary, because his deal was reworked, fits perfectly under the Bills salary cap. The Bills General Manager Brandon Beane did not have to give up a ton of draft capital or find ways to fit a higher priced receiver in the team’s cap. Cooper gives Josh Allen a true number one receiver again to really give this aerial attack the Bills have a big boost.

This is the 10th year in the NFL for Amari Cooper, who came out of Alabama University. The Bills will be his 4th team he has suited up for. He started with Oakland & then was traded to Dallas. He has been on the Browns for the last three seasons. Any time he has started for a new team, he has come out of the gates strong and has had big years tallying up 1,000 or more yards for each new team he has played for. Last year Cooper and Joe Flacco had a nice connection on the field in Cleveland. The Browns went to the playoffs. Cooper had 72 catches for 1,250 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. Some of that was with Deshaun Watson earlier in the season. Cooper’s game got better with Flacco. This year Cleveland’s offense has really struggled and Cooper had only 24 catches for 250 yards with two touchdowns in six games. Cooper would need 750 yards in a Buffalo uniform to notch his third straight season reaching 1,000 or more yards. Cooper’s career in 146 games he has hauled in 691 passes for 9,736 yards with 62 touchdowns. Stefon Diggs arrived, also in 2015, and has played ten seasons in the NFL. Diggs has more catches, yards, and touchdowns. Diggs has hauled in 847 catches for 10,387 yards and 70 touchdowns. As you can see, career-wise Cooper is not that far off from Diggs, maybe except catches.

The Bills leading receiver to this point of the season for the Bills is Khalil Shakir, who has 20 grabs for 249 yards with two touchdowns. Shakir is a slot receiver who will benefit with the presence of Amari Cooper. Shakir should not be your number 2 guy. He’s a very nice number 2. The Bills have been developing a rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman, who has 20 grabs for 201 yards with two touchdowns. The Bills have two solid tight ends in Dalton Kincaid, who has 21 grabs for 217 yards with a touchdown catch. The other tight end is Dawson Knox who scored his first touchdown of the year on Monday night versus the Jets. Everyone eats in the Bills offense as veteran big body wide out, Mack Hollins, even has two touchdowns this season. The Bills cut two time Superbowl winner veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdez-Scantling, who had only caught two balls so far for 26 yards to make room on the roster for their big trade acquisition.

After the loss to the Bills, it did not take the Jets long to pull the trigger and land Devante Adams from the Raiders. Adams reunites with his former quarterback from Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers. Adams wanted out of Vegas. Adams is one of the best receivers in the NFL. Suddenly the AFC has an arms race for aerial weapons. Rumors have it that Buffalo kicked the tires on Adams, but Vegas had a higher price. Maybe too steep for the Bills salary cap. It did not seem that long after sending Adams to the Jets, the news came out of Cooper heading to Buffalo. Will Adams resurrect this Jets team that has far more problems than just Rodgers? Rodgers probably played his best game with the Jets versus the Bills in that Monday night game. The Jets have dug themselves a hole early on, but they have plenty of time to get back in the playoff talk. The Bills could be 5-1 as they shot themselves in the foot in the game versus the Texans. The Bills head coach Sean McDermott blamed himself for poor clock management that could have sent that game to overtime. The Bills are getting people back from their injuries as well. Hanging with Mr. Cooper may be the ace card this Bills team needs. A good locker room guy. Amari Cooper is a great route runner. Now the Bills have a deep threat for Josh Allen. With Cooper in the fold, other guys will get open. I like the Bills running game. This move keeps defenses guessing. The Jets may turn things around with Adams. The Bills can now be talked about with the top tier teams in the AFC, the Ravens and Chiefs, with Cooper now in the mix.